In January, the Eaton Fire consumed 9.4k+ structures in Altadena, California, while the simultaneous Palisades Fire, ~40 miles away, destroyed 6.8k+.
Both were significant tragedies that resulted in lost lives, displaced families, and future concerns over mudflows when it rains. Rebuilding is expensive and time-consuming. Annually, wildfires cost the US $424B, and insurers have begun pulling out of wildfire-prone California, leaving residents with fewer, more limited options.
While fire prevention efforts often include brush maintenance and other practical tactics, Cleveland startup Sonic Fire Tech has developed a particularly interesting method to protect structures in high-risk areas: sound.
Sound…
… as a fire suppressant isn’t a new concept. TechCrunch noted that two college students went viral for putting out a blaze with a subwoofer several years ago.
Yet the ability to do this at scale has been elusive, in part because audible frequencies strong enough to suppress fire would be damaging to our ears.
But Sonic Fire Tech uses infrasound, frequencies below 20 Hz that we can’t hear, but can feel through vibrations. It occurs in nature — e.g., waterfalls, thunder, earthquakes — and in man-made objects, like aircraft.
How it works
Fire needs oxygen to burn. “All we’re doing is vibrating the oxygen faster than the fuel can use it so we break the chemical reaction,” Geoff Bruder, Sonic Fire Tech co-founder and CEO, explained during a demo.
- If the system’s sensor detects a flame in a structure’s gutters or on the ground, a generator deploys infrasound through a ducting system installed under the roof and eaves.
- It runs on electricity, and the company is developing a battery backup option for power outages.
- Because it doesn’t use water or chemicals, it won’t damage the building it’s protecting.
- The company has also prototyped a sonic backpack to offer portable protection to firefighters.
You can watch a demo of the tech here.
What’s next?
Sonic Fire Tech plans to use its new funding to secure product certifications with insurance companies and public safety authorities and organizations and scale manufacturing. It intends to complete 50 pilot installations by early 2026.
BTW: Some animals, including elephants, use infrasound to communicate. Horror filmmakers use it to manifest a sense of dread because its deep rumbling can cause anxiety and unease.
